What a wonderful gift, lucky you! I have a similar machine and love it. It meets my needs and is a work horse.

The default needle position can be changed. Here is how:

Needle Position when start up

Description of Solution 200000026322
The machine can be set so that the straight stitch center needle position is automatically selected when it is turned on.

1. Turn off the sewing machine.

2. Hold down the “+” side of (stitch selection key) on the left and turn on the sewing machine.
After turning on the sewing machine, release the “+” side of plusminus.jpg (stitch selection key).


The initial needle position changes to the center needle position.

NOTE: the specified initial needle position is maintained even after the machine is turned off.

NOTE: Perform the same operation to change the initial needle position to the left needle position.

I have the Brother CE5500PRW machine and I love it. It does everything I need it to do and more.

Last Christmas I bought a Singer sewing machine for my son's fiancee. We wanted to be sure it was a good one and tried it out. It wasn't. So I brought it back and got a Brother Project Runway Limited Edition CE8080OPRW. It was so nice that I got one for myself. I want you to know that I sew for a living and this is the one I use. You will love it. It sews like a dream and while I don't use all the stitches, those that I do use are wonderful. Enjoy!

I need to buy a machine to take to classes and retreats. Would a Project Runway Brother be the one? What is the price range of one of these? They sound great!

Great gift! I don't have the same machine but do have a computerized machine and it works beautifully for quilting small baby - lap- twin size quilts. I usually do stitch in the ditch on them. Haven't figured out the free motion quilting yet but it is on my list to learn.

I have a 1950's Singer, a 1958 Kenmore and my wonderful computerized Janome. I didn't know they even made anything but computerized sewing machines any more. I love them all, but my choice for nearly everything is the computerized Janome. I didn't know they made anything other than computerized machines now.

You had better get with the program! We are out of the first decade of the 21st century and computers are here to stay whether they are in your automobile or your sewing machine. Embrace them. froggyintexas

I bought a rebuilt Brothers Project Runway machine from "overstock.com" for $107.00 a few months ago. It weighs about 11 lbs. and works quite well. It's noisier than my Babylock but it's my traveling machine and certainly does what I need it. It came with a 20 year maintenance whatever and all the attachments. I did buy a quarter inch foot however just to be sure of seam width when quilting. Have only used it for piecing so far. Good luck with your search.
Pat

I have a brothers project runway limited edition CE 5000PRN computerized sewing machine. I love it but it has a small throat plate is not big enough to make a quilt.

It sounds like you were given a very thoughtful, useful machine. I know the feeling, of not being sure of the new machine. See if sewing lessons go with the sale. If not I'd bet you got a book, try going through it and if there are lessons, such as how to put your computer sewing machine in the mode to make buttonholes, or other things you may want to use it for. I really like the way my mechanical machine keeps 'going', I can clean it, oil it etc. I wasn't sure of my computer model. But the more I use it the more I love it. It is so much quieter than the mechanical. My stitches tend to be more regular on the computer--and that is without a stitch regulator.

I personally feel if you want to up your game in quilting, you need to use a computer machine. If you make quilts that you enter into shows the judges are now looking at how uniform your stitches are in machine quilting. I guarantee that my mechanical machine would have disqualified me.
I think another area is that this machine replacement wasn't your idea. You weren't thinking of getting a new machine. For me, I would take the gift as a way that your family enjoys the beauty of your quilts and wants to support this craft. If after you use it and feel comfortable with the machine, you still feel as you do, perhaps you could donate it to a girl scout troop, or a educational machine in a quilt teaching guild. Or there are perhaps your own children.